STARTLING ADVENTURE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1797, 15 August 1906, Page 58

STARTLING ADVENTURE

BOAT CUT IN TWO BY A STEAMER

One night recently three residents of Wollongong, New South Wales. Messrs Kembla Howard) and Pied. Petersen, fishermen, and Frank Robinson, employed by Mr A. G. Bodimeade, had a sensational escape from a terrible death. They had been out during the day sehnapper-fisliing in a boat owned by Howard), and as the day was fine they succeeded in making a splendid haul oi fish. This kept them longer than usual, and by the time they started for _ homo darkness had set in. It was bitterly cold. The wind had quieted almost to a calm, so that it was found impossible to make any headway with the sails. The men were compelled to take to the oars, and were propelling the boat in this fashion when a steamer’s lights were noticed coming round the point of the lighthouse. The occupants at the time took but little notice of the steamer, thinking it was a collier coming out of port, and that sire would keep a good distance away from them. However, the vessel turned' as if going south. Tho steamer kept coining along, although signals were made by the now terrified occupants of tho. boat. The steamer struck the boat amidships and cut her clean in two. She sank like a stone. In getting away. Howarth managed to grab an oar, but just as he had obtained a firm grip of this support, the steamer, in gliding past, hit it and knocked it ou of his hands. He was then in the terrible position of being bumped along the side of the steamer, and in great danger of being drawn info the propeller. However, by some means lie succeeded in getting clear, and. noticing ail object in the water like a lifebelt, swam for it. It turned out to be an oar. He grabbed it, and it supported him. Meanwhile the other two men, IV erson and Robinson, were having a terrible time in the icy cold water, swimming tor their lives. "As soon as the steamer was able to put back lifebel.es were thrown overboard. Petersen secured one, and holding on and looking round for his mate, lie noticed him wo me yards away, aml swam towards him. The two men then hold on to one belt until assistance in the wav of a boat from the steamer came along. "They were hauled in, and were found to be suffering very badly having been in bitterly cold water for, they say, over half an hour. Howarth was in a verv bad state, his arms and legs being completely numbed. The men received every attention from the captain and officers, and weft, subsequently conveyed into the pore of ’Wollongong in one oi the steamer’s boats.